Wawa has announced that it has opened its first store in the state of Alabama. Located in Baldwin County, this location is the first of three Wawa stores slated to open in the south Alabama market before the end of the summer.
During the grand opening event, Wawa was joined by local officials, heroes and community members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, parade of Wawa history, local cheerleaders and musicians, and a “Hoagies for Heroes” charitable hoagie building competition between local fire and police teams.
The grand opening celebration also kicks off Wawa’s “Lending a Helping Hoagie” program to benefit Prodisee Pantry, a non-profit organization providing emergency food and disaster relief to Baldwin County families facing hardship stemming from job loss, medical expenses, natural disasters and other crises.
Wawa has committed to donating a portion of hoagie sales from the first Baldwin County store (up to $5,000) to Prodisee Pantry to help fight hunger in the local community. In addition, The Wawa Foundation will also announce a grant to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital to support child life programs.
“We are excited to fly into Alabama and bring our unique combination of fresh food and beverage, convenience and service to this market for the very first time. This historic milestone kicks off our ongoing investment in Alabama as we continue our plans to build new stores and create new jobs,” said Brian Schaller, president of Wawa. “We are also thrilled about extending our commitment to being a good neighbor to Baldwin County, and our partnerships with Prodisee Pantry and USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital are examples of how we will support local causes.”
The Grand Opening
On April 25, Wawa’s doors opened for the first time in Alabama to welcome new friends and neighbors.
The first 250 customers received special milestone Wawa t-shirts. At 10 a.m., the celebration began with local officials joining Wawa associates, Wawa’s mascots Wally Goose and Shorti, and community partners for the landmark event.
The event included the Fairhope High School musical ensemble, followed by the introduction of the store team and the first official “Wawa Parade through the Ages,” which visually highlighted key milestones in Wawa history.
Immediately following the parade, Wawa President Brian Schaller spoke about the significance of the company’s first Alabama store and expected local and state impact through continuing Wawa expansion in the Baldwin County and Mobile markets. Local officials spoke about Wawa’s expansion and community initiatives, including Prodisee Pantry and the “Lending a Helping Hoagie” program and The Wawa Foundation grant to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.
The ceremony ended with a ribbon cutting, officially marking the company’s entrance into the state.
The event also included Alabama’s first Hoagies for Heroes charitable hoagie building contest, as members of the Fairhope Fire and Police Departments faced off against each other. Each team was challenged to see who can build the most hoagies in three minutes in the traditional Wawa way. Wawa concluded the Hoagies for Heroes competitions by presenting checks on behalf of the winning and runner up teams, for $1,000 to the charities of their choice.
Employees And Benefits
Andy Stephens will serve as general manager of the store, leading a team of 35 employees — new positions brought to the area through the new store.
Associates in these full- and part-time positions will not only receive competitive salaries and health benefits, but they will participate in Wawa’s employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Today, Wawa employees own more than 39% of the company through the ESOP.
Employees also have access to training, development, educational assistance and a flexible, welcoming environment.
Today, Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, Alabama and Washington, D.C., with nearly 1,000 locations to date. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, hand-crafted specialty beverages, a dinner menu including burgers and pizza, an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.
